Exclusive | Cathay Pacific set to offer unpaid leave to staff as Hong Kong protests and boycott by mainland Chinese customers take toll

Cathay Pacific is poised to offer unpaid leave to staff as it struggles to cope with the financial damage caused by more than seven months of anti-government protests in Hong Kong and a boycott by mainland Chinese customers, the Post understands.

As it stands, the measure is voluntarily but some employees are being encouraged to take up to a month of no-pay leave, with Cathay Dragon pilots among the first.

The move is partly a reaction to reduced flight schedules in the year ahead, an adjustment for continued tepid demand, requiring the airline to be more disciplined on costs to manage the shortfall in expected ticket sales.

A companywide review assessing personnel needs was set to conclude soon, according to people familiar with the matter. No job cuts are thought to be planned.